Switzerland Destination Guide

A culturally diverse nation with four official languages, Switzerland is known for being both one of the wealthiest and pretiest countries in the world. Of more interest to tourists might be its high ranking when it comes to snow, cheese and chocolate, and to top it all, Switzerland has plenty of museums and festivals art lovers satiated too.

Options for Switzerland tours are endless and range from culturally rich city breaks in cities like Geneva or Zurich to adventure holidays skiing, snowboarding or mountaineering in Swiss Alps destinations including Zermatt, Verbier and St. Moritz.

So diverse are the range of activities, it's a good idea to invest in a Switzerland travel guide to help you choose from the best the country has to offer. You might find it a difficult task as Switzerland possesses multiple national parks and UNESCO World Heritage sites, not to mention exciting metropolitan cities with world class museums, monuments, cafes, restaurants and shopping.

Must-see cities and unforgettable landscapes

Perhaps the country's most popular tourist destination is not one of its urban cities, but rather a town at the entrance to the Swiss Alps. Interlaken is the gateway to the gorgeous mountains and crystalline lakes of the region. If you want to sample Switzerland all in one place then Interlaken is where to go. Its prime location has made it one of Switzerland's top destinations and the perfect base for exploring all that this stunning region has to offer.

Zurich is another of Switzerland's most popular destinations, above all for its importance as a global city and international financial centre. As the largest city in country, its proximity to Lake Zurich makes it an attractive choice among those who enjoy both city life and natural beauty. On a clear day the view from the lake even stretches all the way to the snow-capped mountains.

Zurich tours are readily available and offer visitors a fantastic overview of the city's global importance and its many beautiful buildings. Highlights include the Swiss National Museum, the iconic Fraumuenster Church and a trip to the top of Uetliberg, Zurich's local mountain.

Geneva is world-renowned as a diplomatic hub but this green city succesfully rivals Zurich as a tourist destination with its own beautiful lake, Lake Geneva, Mont Blanc off in the distance, and a premium watch shop never far from sight.

Must-see cities and unforgettable landscapes

Other must-see cities include Bern, the Swiss capital and a historic city with a beautifully preserved old town, and Lucerne, a central city built around the impressive Lake Lucerne. Don't confuse it similarly spelled Lausanne, a town at the heart of the Swiss wine country.

Whatever type of holiday you choose, be sure to make time to try the fabulous Swiss cuisine. Swiss meal-time classics include Bircher muesli for breakfast, rosti (fried potatoes) for lunch followed by geschnetzeltes (meat with mushroom and cream sauce) for dinner. Chocolate and cheese fondues can be enjoyed at all times of the day!

Switzerland also has a developing wine country. Regions like Valais, Vaud and Geneva all produce excellent wines that would be much more popular elsewhere in the world if production could meet demand.

Centrally located in the heart of Europe, flights to Switzerland are frequent and depart from cities all over the world. Zurich has the most connections but Geneva and Basel are also well connected to the rest of Europe.